The Postponed Elections and Referendums (Coronavirus) and Policy Development Grants (Amendment) Regulations 2020

Police and crime commissioner elections: returning officer expenses

10.—(1) A returning officer for a relevant PCC election may recover charges in respect of expenses incurred for or in connection with that election, notwithstanding that the election was not held, if the expenses were necessarily incurred for the efficient and effective conduct of the election.

(2) The amount of any charges recoverable under paragraph (1) is to be paid by the Minister on an account being submitted to the Minister.

(3) The Police and Crime Commissioner Elections (Returning Officers’ Accounts) Regulations 2012(1) have effect for the purposes of an account submitted under paragraph (2) as if they were subject to the following modifications—

(a) in regulation 2 (interpretation), the definition of “account” is to be read as referring to an account prepared by a returning officer under paragraph (2) of this regulation;

(b) in regulation 4 (time for submission of accounts), for the words from “within the period” to the end substitute “on or before 24th March 2021”;

(c) omit regulation 5 (incomplete accounts);

(d) in regulation 7(2) (form of accounts), for the words from “at the time of” to the end substitute “on 7th May 2020”.

(4) Any sums required by the Minister for making payments under this regulation are to be charged on, and paid out of, the Consolidated Fund.

(5) Section 55 of the 2011 Act (returning officers: expenditure)(2) does not apply in respect of any charges recoverable under paragraph (1) of this regulation.

(6) Nothing in this regulation applies to the postponed ordinary election, that is to say the election which is to be held in 2021 as a result of section 60(12) of the Coronavirus Act 2020.

(7) In this regulation—

“the 2011 Act” means the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011;

“the Minister” means the Secretary of State or the Minister for the Cabinet Office;

“relevant PCC election” means the ordinary election of a police and crime commissioner which was due to be held in 2020, pursuant to section 50(1) of the 2011 Act (ordinary elections), but was not so held as a result of section 60(12) of the 2020 Act;

“returning officer” has the meaning given by section 55(12) of the 2011 Act.

(1)

S.I. 2012/2088, amended by S.I. 2016/488.

(2)

2011 c. 13; section 55 was amended by S.I. 2015/1526 and 2016/997.